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Natural hazards · Barre

Barre, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Barre comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2005. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations
Expected damage

How exposed is Barre?

37
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Barre to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding62%Hurricanes16%Cold waves6%Everything else16%
By hazard

What Barre faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

16% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Flood insurance claims

Does Barre flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Barre, from FEMA’s records.

2paid claims since 2005
$6Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
20052026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Barre isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Worcester County.
Disasters that hit Barre

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Barre itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Barre.

Brought FEMA money into BarreDeclared for Worcester County only
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$45K to the Town of Barre for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$29K to the Town of Barre for repairs
2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$33K to the Town of Barre for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

$17K to the Town of Barre for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$542K to the Town of Barre for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved $11K to the Town of Barre for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$19K to the Town of Barre for repairs
2003

Snow

$26K to the Town of Barre for repairs
2001

Snow

$11K to the Town of Barre for repairs
Worcester County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Barre

Barre and the towns around it

Hubbardston: Very low, mostly inland floodingOakham: Low, mostly inland floodingRutland: Very low, mostly inland floodingPrinceton: Very low, mostly inland floodingGardner: Very low, mostly inland floodingWestminster: Very low, mostly inland floodingSpencer: Low, mostly inland floodingPaxton: Very low, mostly inland floodingHolden: Very low, mostly inland floodingBarre: Low, mostly inland flooding BarreHubbardstonOakhamRutland
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Barremostly inland floodingLow
Oakhammostly inland floodingLow
Hubbardstonmostly inland floodingVery low
Rutlandmostly inland floodingVery low
About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.
Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Barre covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Barre’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Barre. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Barre total about $1.2M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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